County FMR · HUD FY2026
District of Columbia Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for District of Columbia, DC - 110% above the US average.
- $2,015
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $2,246
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -2.0%
- YoY change
- +110%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Nationally it ranks #94 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties.
- #94
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- +0%
- vs the state average
- $80,600
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -2.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (14.5%), while Retail Salespersons spend the most (64%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for District of Columbia, DC. Verify with HUD →
The Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom apartment in District of Columbia, District of Columbia is $2,015 per month in FY 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A 2-bedroom costs $2,246/mo and a studio is $1,953/mo. This is 110% higher than the national average of $959 and 0% above the District of Columbia average of $2,015.
Rent decreased2.0% from FY 2025 ($2,056), declining against the trend. Clearing the 30% rule here takes $80,600/year, a high bar relative to most US counties.
Observed renter burden: 44.2% of the 189,268 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.
Market slack: The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
Local labor market: The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.3% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in District of Columbia. Population: 670,587. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.8%, Census ACS). That's in line with District of Columbia's statewide growth of -1.8% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area DISTRICT·OF·COLUMBIA·DC·DC
District of Columbia, DC: $2,015/mo 1BR · #94 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA DC
- 1BR-FMR $2,015
- 2BR-FMR $2,246
- RANK-UPPER #94
- YOY-FLAT -2.0%
- VSUS-HIGH +110%
- VS-ST-NEAR +0% DC
- INC-MID 23%
- POP-MAJOR 671K
- PHOTO-CLEAR Peer pending
- VOUCH-90-110 $1,814–$2,217
- FY-2026 FY2026
Read with: Understanding rent burden
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,012 | $1,953 | $-59 (-2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $2,056 | $2,015 | $-41 (-2.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,314 | $2,246 | $-68 (-2.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,893 | $2,835 | $-58 (-2.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,413 | $3,332 | $-81 (-2.4%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in District of Columbia. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where District of Columbia sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$2,246 Top 3% higher than 97% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
Against a high local FMR of $2,015/mo, which of 15 common occupations still clear the 30% line using District of Columbia BLS wages?
| Occupation | DC Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| General & Operations Managers | $167,270 | 14.5% | Affordable |
| Software Developers | $136,040 | 17.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $104,550 | 23.1% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $103,030 | 23.5% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $99,300 | 24.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $94,730 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $88,330 | 27.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $81,950 | 29.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $63,610 | 38% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $49,210 | 49.1% | Stretched |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $45,670 | 52.9% | Unaffordable |
| Teaching Assistants | $44,820 | 53.9% | Unaffordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $38,390 | 63% | Unaffordable |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $38,240 | 63.2% | Unaffordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $37,800 | 64% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for District of Columbia. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for District of Columbia (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 34.3% overall, from $1,500 to $2,015. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.0% in FY 2025, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓2.0% | $1,953 | $2,015 | $2,246 |
| FY 2025 ↑14.0% | $2,012 | $2,056 | $2,314 |
| FY 2024 ↑11.6% | $1,772 | $1,803 | $2,045 |
| FY 2023 ↑3.1% | $1,589 | $1,615 | $1,838 |
| FY 2022 ↑1.2% | $1,539 | $1,567 | $1,785 |
| FY 2021 ↑3.2% | $1,513 | $1,548 | $1,765 |
| FY 2020 | $1,457 | $1,500 | $1,707 |
Part of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area
District of Columbia is a central county of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metropolitan statistical area, alongside 22 other metro-area counties.
District of Columbia ranks #19 of 23 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Fairfax County ($2,015), Montgomery County ($2,015), Prince George's County ($2,015), Prince William County ($2,015), Loudoun County ($2,015), Frederick County ($2,015), Arlington County ($2,015), Charles County ($2,015), Stafford County ($2,015), Alexandria city ($2,015), Spotsylvania County ($2,015), Fauquier County ($2,015), Manassas city ($2,015), Fredericksburg city ($2,015), Fairfax city ($2,015), Manassas Park city ($2,015), Clarke County ($2,015), Falls Church city ($2,015), District of Columbia (this county) ($2,015), Rappahannock County ($1,254), Culpeper County ($1,170), Warren County ($1,002), Jefferson County ($953).
Show all 23 counties in this metro area
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for District of Columbia, both outside District of Columbia so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside DC (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside DC).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in District of Columbia?
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in District of Columbia is $2,015 per month. A 2-bedroom is $2,246 and a studio is $1,953.
How does District of Columbia rent compare to the national average?
Rent in District of Columbia is 110% above the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $2,015 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does District of Columbia rank nationally for Fair Market Rent?
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, District of Columbia's 2-bedroom FMR of $2,246 ranks #94 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the highest-rent tenth of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in District of Columbia?
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $80,600 ($6,717/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in District of Columbia.
Is rent going up or down in District of Columbia?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in District of Columbia decreased by 2.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $2,056 to $2,015.
Which jobs can afford rent in District of Columbia?
Based on District of Columbia BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $2,015/mo. 8 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in District of Columbia over time?
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in District of Columbia went from $1,500 in FY 2020 to $2,015 in FY 2026, a total change of +34.3% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in District of Columbia?
In District of Columbia, the FY 2026 FMR of $2,015/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for District of Columbia?
For District of Columbia, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($2,015/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).
Is the rental market tight or loose in District of Columbia?
The ACS rental vacancy rate here is 6.9%, close to the range where market rents and HUD's FMR benchmark tend to track each other.
What is the unemployment rate in District of Columbia?
The county's BLS unemployment rate has averaged 6.3% over the past 12 months, well above the national norm, a headwind for household budgets that can also soften local rent growth.
Data sources
What this means for renters
Treat District of Columbia's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a single market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $2,015 implies about $80,600/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- See where District of Columbia ranks nationally on rent. National rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This site is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.